BFA Preschool-November 14

Since 1987, Freedom Service Dogs, relying on charitable donations, has provided hundreds of client-dog teams at no cost to their clients. We have selected Freedom Service Dogs as the beneficiary of this year's Veterans Day donation drive. We are collecting online donations from now - Nov. 15th to benefit FSD in all their efforts. Our goal is 80% school-wide participation. Should we reach this goal, students will receive an extra dress of choice day AND an extra recess. To donate or learn more, please scan the QR codes or read the FSD flyer. We thank you in advance for supporting this life changing organization.

📥 November 1 to December 1 - Open enrollment for kindergarten families

📥 November 15 - Current preschool families enrollment google docs form DUE

🎁 November 17 - Raise Right Program Ends

👂November 19 and 22- Hearing Assessments

🦃 November 25 to 29- Thanksgiving Break

🏫 December 4 - BFA family open enrollment for preschool

Many parents have expressed interest in preschool registration for the upcoming 2025-26 school year, and it's incredible how quickly it approaches! To help ease your concerns, here are our registration dates:

1. Current Preschool Families:

• Priority Registration for Preschool 3's and younger siblings will begin with a Google Doc sent out on November 6th, to be completed by November 15th.
• By no later than November 22nd, you will receive information about your child's class placement for the upcoming year at BFA.
  
  

2. Current BFA K-8 Families:

• "Intent to Enroll" for current BFA K-8 families will open on December 4th at 9:00 AM. This will be on a first-come, first-served basis with a timestamp.
• This form will close on December 11th at 9:00 p.m. and after that date any BFA families that hadn’t expressed interest at that time, will need to fill out the “Intent to Enroll” in January with the public and will lose their priority spot.
• Current BFA K-8 families will receive information about their child’s class placement or waitlist status by December 13th.
  
  

3. Public Enrollment:

• On January 8th, the "Intent to Enroll" will become available to the public at 9:00 am If any seats remain open at this point, they will be offered to the public.

4. Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) program

• BFA Preschool will be renewing our application for the Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) program for the 2025-26 school year, aiming to offer free or low-cost preschool opportunities for many of our families. Those interested in enrolling their children in BFA Preschool are required to complete an ‘Intent to Enroll’ form available on our website.
• Upon submission, if a seat is available in any of our classrooms, we will guide parents through the enrollment process both at BFA and for the UPK application. In the event that seats are not immediately available, your child will be placed on a waitlist. Should a seat become available, we will promptly notify you.
  

5. Who is eligible for universal preschool?

Children in Colorado can receive up to 15 hours per week of free, high-quality preschool during the year before kindergarten through the Universal Preschool Program (UPK). Some families may qualify for additional free hours based on specific criteria. However, BFA only offers the 15-hour option.

If your child has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), their services must be provided through a District School, as BFA preschool does not receive state funding to support specialized services requiring professional staff.

For more information, visit Colorado’s Universal Preschool Program or sign up for the class.
"Understanding Universal Pre-K for Parents" Registration Link

UPK Pre-Registration Dates Announced:

• December 17 - February 3: Pre-registration application window for families requesting Continuity of Care placements, sibling attending or child of employee.
• December 17 - February 3: Providers will receive matches each day for eligible family registrations and will be able to accept or decline placements.
• February 3 - 10: Families must accept pre-registration matches.

Again, this year, we will be using the RaiseRight staff gifting program to facilitate convenient group gift-giving. Through this program, each family makes one payment for all of their teacher and staff gifts. Then, each teacher/staff member receives an email with the total amount collected, and selects which gift cards they would like to receive. By consolidating donations, we are able to provide teachers and staff with meaningful gifts.

This program allows the PTO to purchase the requested gift cards at discounts ranging from 2 - 21 percent, depending on the retailer. That discounted amount comes back to BFA from RaiseRight, and will be used for PTO funded programs at school.

Families will be able to place RaiseRight orders via MySchoolBucks and pay by credit card. You may designate how much you would like to give to each teacher/staff member in one-dollar increments. Collections will take place November 10-17.

Participation in the RaiseRight program is completely voluntary. You are welcome to participate with any amount, or alternatively gift the teachers and staff on your own.

The gifts will be given to the staff the week before Winter Break, and will be in lieu of any other class gift/collection. Look for more information in future newsletters regarding details on how to contribute to your teacher's gift!

IT IS TIME TO START DRESSING YOUR CHILDREN IN LAYERS AND SENDING APPROPRIATE WEATHER CLOTHING ON THESE COLD AND CHILLY DAYS. WE DON’T WANT OUR LITTLE ONES COLD WHILE THEY ARE PLAYING AND WE DO NOT HAVE EXTRA WINTER CLOTHING FOR THEM. Please talk with your child of where to find their hats and gloves in their backpack so they can easily find them.

We've received some questions about when we will be taking the children outside to enjoy the winter weather. We want to ensure the safety and comfort of our students while also making the most of this season. Here are our guidelines for winter outdoor play:

1. Temperature Threshold: Our general guideline is that we will take the children outside when the temperature is above 20 degrees Fahrenheit. We do factor in wind chill as well to make the experience comfortable and safe for everyone.

2. Dress Appropriately: It's essential that your child comes to school with the proper winter attire, which includes a winter coat, hat, and mittens. Boots are a great addition to keep feet warm and dry. If your child doesn't have boots, we kindly request that they refrain from playing in the snow, as wet and cold feet can be uncomfortable.

3. Snow Conditions: When the playground is completely covered in snow or if the snow is of the "snowsuit" variety, we will not be going outside. Managing snowsuits during our short school hours can be impractical, so we prioritize the children's learning and comfort in the classroom during such conditions.

4. Sunscreen: Please don't forget to apply sunscreen to your child before they arrive at school. If the school day extends beyond 5 hours and we plan to go outside again in the afternoon, we will reapply sunscreen to protect their skin.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we strive to make the most of the winter season while keeping the well-being of the children in mind.

Our MWF children showed their respect and gratitude by waving flags as the Veteran’s processed into their ceremony, honoring them for their service.

Mrs. Olson’s father, a Vietnam Veteran, was deeply touched by the way the school honored him.

As our Pre-K students explore different career opportunities this month in the CKLA unit, they had an

exciting visit from a Dance Instructor yesterday! She graciously gave her time to share her passion for

dance, bringing joy and energy to our classroom. What a fun career—to dance and make people

happy!

Please refer to your child’s teacher’s monthly newsletter for details on what is being taught in the classroom this month. Soon, each teacher will also have a dedicated classroom page on the website where you can find even more information about classroom activities and learning progress. Keep an eye out for announcements when the teacher pages will be available.

October's Virtue is...

Humility – Be mindful of others before yourself. Treat them as you want to be treated. Think about how you can help others before being asked. Let others speak when it is their turn.

Mission:

Our mission is to create young adults with character like America's founding Renaissance man, Benjamin Franklin: well-read, scientifically curious, and civically engaged.

Vision:

Our students will excel academically through a challenging, sequenced curriculum that emphasizes math, science, the arts, and literacy. We will be a data-driven institution, focusing on individual students. Our students, teachers, parents, staff, and leaders will be held accountable for the success of our school. Finally, we recognize that an education is incomplete without fostering social emotional development, character, sports, and nature.

13 Virtues:

Temperance, Silence, Order, Resolution, Frugality, Industry, Sincerity, Justice, Moderation, Cleanliness, Tranquility, Purity and Humility.